Concrete block machine



l N. B. HANsoN CONCRETE BLOCK`- MACHINE nec. z8, 1948.

Filed Oct. 10, 1945 'feweii Hams/on mw. /mm SQ De. 28, 19148.` V N. B. l-umvsoNl 2,457,368 coNcRETB BLOCK' MACHINE Filed oct. 10, 1945 e sheets-sheet s Ely. 4

5y Aimar 1 Dec. 28,v 1948. N. s-k HANs'N l CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Oct. 1C). 1945 Patented Dec. 28, 1948 mr m oFF-ICE.

Bilaims, 1 s

My --present Ainvention relates tojsimprovements in machinesl forproducing... concreta.. building blocks and the like. While the machine,` herein, illustrated,- is designed particularly.. fonusefin the manufactureof atrimperf-orate blocksof. the tongue and groove variety such. as.are.Wdely used inthefconstructonofsilos.- it Willbe under stoodthat-'the invention hereof .is `equal-ly adapt.- able Vto machines designed' for building various different shapes `and-kindsof Abuilding blocks and tlielike.Y Y

Inthe 'manufacture of concrete products of. the variety mentioned; itis important tovcompress the Work-.batch oiconcretejor analogous cementitious material -Within- Ythe mold-cavity ofmthe v.machine to amaximum possible density wherebyl to .ob-

tain -the maximum possible-strengthin the viinished product. In the building 4block art, this has usuallyvr been accomplished by reciprocating tampers-,- and inlmachines-of the p'riorartsit has beenV customary*l toy paola. the lmaterial. .l into the mold-by a laterally spaced series of2 tampers work'- inginv unison and engaging'thegupper` surfaces of the Workf'batchinsynchronization.- Thisprior art practice of packing the-wrork batchintothe mold cavity-loysynchronizedtampers, having pretty muchthe same eieetas -a single, but rlarger afndheavier, tamper, has beenfound obj ectonable for` the following reasonsftowit: I

a.- The .relatively greaty amount .-of... power... re-

quired to reciprocate.theseveral-ltampers .in .uni-

son;

b. The terrific f jar orV vibration set. up by- .the simultaneous yimpact `oi'.the..severa1 tampers; and

c. The n relative .density of the.-material f. was often i much less than could be-desired* In accordance With thepresent finvention.- the above objections-are overcome --and` the density oi Vthe nal productisimproved-fby Loperatinga laterally spaced series of reciprocatingtampersin out-of-phase relationship"v one With y the otlier,

whereby diierent -tampers come into engagement with the surface of the Workubatch -at diierent times, thereby causing the-materialof -theWork batch to shift andflovv` Within .themold cavity during the tampingoperation. and -v which shifting and Vflowing action results ingreatlyimproved density inthe iinished product. A-lso,this-recip rocation of the tampers inout-of-phase relationship to one another consumes'considerably/less power by dividing rip-the loadanddistributing-it Y more evenly throughout Athe entirev period Aof. operation, and this, in-turn,\-greatl y reduces the vibration of v the machine, thereby making.. for-long machine life and better Working-condition's..in.-the vicinity of the InachineiV Another important object- -of the present invention is the provision ofH anA improved=-meansfor iillillg the rectangular framewhichservesflto transfer a Work,batch-ofmmaterialf'to @thea-mold cavityp. In.. accordance` `with the invention,A the saidL=transfer device. orirameis 1i1led;W.ith conv creta.omfequivalent.gcementitious. material. in;v a iiuidfstatetfromrahopper or .other source. of supplyithrough .al conduit terminating directly. above saidtftransier -device1when `the same .is moved to its ..receiving.= position in .oiset relation; to the mold. and. f means'.r is provided. .for automatically closingl theextreme vdelivery end .of this delivery conduit upon movement' of.; the'. .transfer frame or.. device. from. `its receiving to. its delivery posif tion-.abovelthe mold cavity;

Sti-11'.: another.,` highlyfimportant l object .of ,the inventionris. theprovision of highly efficient mechanism. fon automatically` conveying the. pallet, Which/.forms .thebottom of. the mold cavity; into operativeiposition., and..conveying the... said pallet Illia-:molded:1product.4r fromv the mold .cavity to a suitable.. discharges. point. This .important phase oftthelinventionl comprises horizontal and vertical conveyonelementsand a. highly eilicient Iautomatic i stop:..devicel for lstopping .horizontal move.- ments .-of..'the.pallet at a position directly .below the..mo1d.-cavityandfrom-which .the pallet is -movedwerticallyinto engagement with the mold, andwhichstopdevices .automatically retracted soJas-to permit-continuation of the horizontal movement upon lowering of thepalletto the hori- 'zontalport ion of the conveyor -upon.completion offthe-.fmolding cycle.v

@still-further and highly important object of the? invention listhe provision ot an improved automatic-control mechanism -for the above mentioned conveyor-mechanism.

The `above and-other highly- -important objects and advantagesfoi the/invention vvillbe made apparent1 from' the1fol1owing--specication, claims, aridl'vappendeddrawings.-

' 'Inth`e `accompanying drawings,r which l illus- |trate ag,preierred'embodiment 'ofthe invention, likefcharactersindi-cate like parts throughout the several'vieWs Referring Ito the draw-ings:` n Figflis/a' iront-perspective Avlevv of a machine zfincorpera-ting a preferredv embodiment of theinvettige; j

Fig. 21s@ View othe machineofl Fig. l1 in side elevatoa-hewing the.. Side thereof Opposite. the

`lig is a .viewiinnsidei elevation showing... the opposite s idepf themachine from that shown in Fia 2;.

Fjg..4 is anei1largedf rear. elevation of the Yma Fig 5; is f a,sectional viewitaken approximately on` wthedine, 5;-.5:oi,Fig.. .4;

Fig..4 6 :isa fragmentary.view` correspondingfto Fi'g..5 but :showin-g somewhat,'diierentgpositon ,ot-'t'.lfl-.epartsg--` 3 Fig. '7 is a detail sectional view taken on the line '1 -'I of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary View in front elevation of the upper portion of the machine, with some parts removed and some parts shown in section;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary horizontal sectiona view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. '7

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view taken on the lineI-IIJofFig;

Fig. 11 is a detail sectional View taken-on th line II-I l ofFig. 4; and

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line I2-I2 of Fig. 6, with some parts omitted.

The frame of thev machine, illustrated, is of generally rectangular shape having suitable cross membersand vertical and .horizontal extensions hereinafter described. This frame structure' is indicated as an entirety by I. The mold, indicated as an entirety by 2, is supportedby and rests on longitudinal side rails 3 of the frame I. This mold 2 provides a rectangular molding `cavity 4 that is open at top and bottom. The said mold 2 comprises two identical L-shaped wall-forming sections each comprising a longitudinally extended side wall-forming section '5 and an end Wallforming section 6 rigidly anchored thereto by nut-equipped bolts or the like l. The side rail or Wall 5 or each L-shaped mold Wall-forming section is extended to overlap and rest upon opposite frame rails 3 (see particularly Fig. 9) The left-hand extended ends of the opposite L-shaped mold sections, with respect to Fig. 9, are bifurcated to receive opposite ends of an intermediately pivoted lever 8. The lever 8 is pivoted-at 9 to an adjacent side frame rail 3 andthe ends thereof are connected to opposite of said mold frame sections by slot and pin connections, as aty I0. The right-hand extended ends, withv respect to Fig.9, of the opposite L-shaped mold sections are bifurcated to receive opposite end portions ofan intermediately pivoted lever II. This lever II is intermediately pivoted to an underlying frame rail 3 at l2 and has two of its opposite free end portions connected to the bifurcated end portions of the opposite mold frame sections by slot and pin connections as at I3 (see Fig. 9). The intermediately pivoted lever II is provided with a crank arm I4 which is connected to a pitman arm I5 at I6, and which, pitman arm, and its driving connections will later be described. It should here be noted that the opposite L-shaped mold sections are normally held against lateral separation by rollers I'l that are` suitably journalmold sections one in respect to the other. This mold and the operating connections thus far described are old in the art, but it Will be noted that the intermediately pivoted levers 8 and II are parallel and are so angularly disposed with respect to the mold frame extensions to which they are connected that counterclockwise move ments of said levers 8 and II, with respect to Fig. 9, shift the opposite L-shaped mold sections longitudinally one with respect to the other and also tend to force thesame apart in a direction forwardly and rearwardly of the machine. Hence, it will be seen that when the levers 8 and II are moved in counterclockwise directions With respect to Fig. 9, the opposite L-shaped mold sections will open, and when said levers 8 and Il aremoved in clockwise directions with respect to Fig. 9, 'the mold sections will be brought together or back to the position shown in Fig. 9.

' Now, by reference particularly to Figs. 5, 6, and 9, it will be seen that a shelf 20 is secured to and extends from one of the side wall-forming sections 5 of the mold. This shelf 26 forms an extension of the upper surface of the attached mold wall member and at its projected end is supported by suitable angle iron supporting elements 2| or the like from the longitudina1 frame rails 3. The supporting members 2l are fast on the shelf 2li and slidably engage the upper surfaces of rails 3.

Mounted for sliding movements longitudinally of the machine and above the mold 2 and its shelf-acting flange 20 is a transfer device (often referred to in the trade as a troweler) 22. This transfer device 22 is in the nature of a rectangular box-like frame that is open at its bottom and top and is slidably supported from the forwardly and rearwardly extending frame rails I8 as shown best in Fig. 7. By reference to Fig. 7, it will be seen that the end walls of the transfer device or troweler 22 are provided with vertically-spaced forwardly and rearwardly extending flanges 23 forming a guideway therebetween forreception of guide flanges 24 carried by opposite frame rails The bottom edges of the transfer device or troweler 22 run in close working clearance with the uppersurface of plate 20 and mold 2, and the upper surfaces of said transfer device or troweler 22 work slidably under the discharge `end of a material delivery conduit 25 which may be assumed to depend from a suitable source of supply, such as a hopper 26.v The transfer device 22-y is adapted to slide from the receiving position thereof shown in Fig.V 6 to the delivery position shown in Fig. 5, in which latter position the said transfer device is directly above the mold cavity.

.It should here be noted that the rear wall of the transfer device or troweler 22 carries a valving plate 21 that has its upper surface disposed in Vthe plane of the upper edge of the transfer device 22 and serves to'close off the discharge end of the delivery conduit 25 when the transfer device 22 is moved out from under said conduit to its delivery position above the mold. The transfer device 22 is adapted to be moved from its receiving position of Fig. 6 to its delivery position of Fig. 5 by means of apair of pitman arms 28 shown best in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and l.

A tamping plateu29 is loosely pivoted on the front longitudinal Wall of the transfer device 22 by transversely projected trunnions thereon that seat in upwardly opening bearing brackets 30. The upwardly opening bearing brackets 39 are carried by forwardly projecting flanges of the transfer device 22. In its upwardly extended inoperative position shown in Fig. 5, the tamping plate 29frests against a flange 3l Yon the upper front edge of thetransfer deviceor troweler 22. The bottom of the tamping plate 29 is, in the preferred form illustrated, corrugatedon its bottom surface, which bottom surface is adapted to contact and form similar corrugations in the upper surface of the material in the mold cavity when said plate 2Sis in its lower operative position shown in Fig. 6.

Duringthe'molding operation, the mold cavity is closed at its bottom by a pallet 32 that is made entrees# up oi; upper, andA lowerF plates and` intervening spacers. l Inthismachine. ,l as A in otherv machines of thisgeneraljcharacter, the pallet .32*is removed from its operative position', after the molding operation 4with .the molded' product resting; thereon andusually supports the molded-product yunt-il dryt and set.

The. pallet 32; is supported in its ,operativepositionjsh'ownin Fig. 'Fand-is elevated to andere'vtract'edfrorn operative position by ari-elevator mechanism comprising a laterallyM spacedf` for# Wardlyandrearwardly extending pairjof` Ibearns 33'; The upper surfaces of`| the I' beams 33% are provided' With-permanently securedplates tffor direct' engagen1ent-vzith thel pallets The fron-t ends oithelvbeams 330i theelevat'ormechan-i'sm are providedwith guidevshoes 34^thatarejslidably mounted in vertically extended `guidechannels;35 of e channel-shaped guide loa-rs- 35? l mountedfast on the inner surface o-a--Kfront-framecrossmem beri'. The'guide channels-,f-are providedwith stops S'lfor limiting downwa-rdengagement ofi-the shoevequipped ends ofthe1I bearns3t3f.Y Theerea-r ends of the elevator Il beams- 35-are-intercon nectedf' bva-n-inverted AL- shaped cross-member 3'8-L the opposite ends ofwhich are extended laterally outwardly beyond the oppositev bearrr- 33-- and are slidable in guide channels -formed -inthe-rear---upright L-shapedcorner posts -39 offthe fran-ie` la The elevator-Ibeams 33am-thus guided-for true vertical movements;- The elevatori beamsS-SJare supported and movedupwardly and downwardly by forwardly andrearwardlylocated pairsof toggle arms, indicated by Lt-and- 4"l l`'respectively. The upperends ofthe-pair of`- toggle arms- Ml `:are pivot-ally connected-tothe opposite-I beams'rat 42', and the upper ends-'oflthe--pair'lof toggle-arms al are -pivotally-f'connected-to the interconnecting cross-member. 331- between the-elevator` beams-33 at- 43. Thelower ends of they toggle-.arms tlare pivotall-y-` connectedL to .the -frame f- II ati 4'4", andlthe lower lends OtOggIe--armsd'l are pivotally con nected to their-ame hat 4,521 Thettogg'learmsfd and lli 1 areoperatedby av roel;l sha-ft2 4.6ithroug-h themedium of: oppositely eXtendedlcra-nkl-.arms

471i f aston therock-shaft ll'fandri'gidflinks-Aan'd da' respectively.. The. rock-'shaft' mais.' j ournalled in frame-supported bearings Milt;4 By i reference particularly Atollilig. 2, it will! bel-seen that the rock shaft` lez is driven; lov.v connections comprising-a crankJarm-.Bfand- `-a.pitrnan 5 lrfrom-otherfdriving connections hereinafterL-described.;

The-conveyor mechanism-for the v-rgallet-M :comlprises, inaddition to the.V elevator` mechanism above.- described, means for moving tliel4 pallet laterally. to and fromthe elevator beams.-3-3'::When said beams are in their retracted lower-positions. Thisllateral ,conveying meanscomprises .a plurality of' laterally spaced roller-s.. 52- journalledf-.f in bearings iintheiront frame crossmember` 36 andi in similar. bearings oarriedby ali-rame cross member 54 at the rearfof the machine. Theirear bearings for theirollers 52::are indicatedibyf', see particularly Fig. 6.: 'The planeiof: theuppensur.- faces of" theY several conveyor rollers-S-Z-is vjust slightly abovel the :planeA of the upper `surfaces-of the'plates 33 oftheelevator beams Stwhen -said beams are lov/credito theiry extreme; inoperative positio-nslsnown bydotted lines .in Fig;l 6r When thetmachine isin operation, tlieseirollerstial-,arey

continuously. drivenin clockwise directions with respect` to ,-Fig.- 'l 'by sprockets 'iastonuthe rear ends of rollers ,52;` a link, chain, 511; running; over said sprockets pair, 01,k bevel; gears 587mm@ of are; welded/f directly, therein of?saijifrollers` 52` andai other driving-1 conneetionst hereinafter to Vbe described@ As anv importantV feature ofi the invention"i I provide a yieldingv stop` device-59i fonv limitinglateral -input'feedingf.movementstoffthe pallet-.32" ata@ point-where it vlbecomesproperlyvalignedi-Witlfi the*moldecavity'A and is-ready-ffore-elevationstothe moldsy rIhisv yield-ing-stop-'dev-ice 59ecomprisesa` pivotedl arm; Gil-*- mountedrlfast: on a'. pivotfshaft 61 andhavinggapalleteengagingheaw62s yielding stop-device-ES is-free torooky pivotally. from; Aitsfull line; intermediate posi-tion-v of Figa- 7^- to itsopposite-extremeu position-showin ley-dotted lines Airrliig.- 7-3 and-Yis-y-ieldi-ng-ly biased toward@itsl intermediate fulli line:y position1 preferably? by gravity -actinglthrough--af depending-weightedarm- 63e Under`l input feeding movements-.ofy thelpall'et fromleft-towards-the-rig-ht inl-respect to Eiga 7'; the -palletvvillistrike-ithe-head;y 62 oftthey stop .den vicev and move the@ saniepivot-ally.1 from; its full line-4 positioni to dts right-hands dotted liifle-ioifsif-n tion ofi-Figi '7;' atwvhich point-therbiasingfpressure resultingi from-1. the' action. off: gravity 011+' the Weightedarm 632 Willa overcomethe` frictional driving.- engagement.E ofthe rollers-52 fonltherpallet andstop --they palletlr At` this, point i-it: maylbe said thatbtheinclination offfthe; stop-arm 60, shoWni-.in 7,' is important. in that fitppermits .downward displacementtoidts letti-hand-tdottedv line. position of Fig.- l'w-hen the-pallet is-loweredontothefrollers from; itsroperative position;- Thelrockishaftsdsis j ourn'alledfat itsfend inthe frame Il.

Mountedf above.y the` moldI cavity-.- is a:,latera/1 ls7 spaced: seriesk of tampers,. each,- comprising-a cylindrical.'- shank.- 641i and alizootf. 6,5.' rigidly: bait detachablya carried.: lay-the lower end-l ot.e its co.- operating.- shank 641i Ther tamper.A Shanks (ima-re vertically-a extended?` andy are.` axially'.4 slidably mounted@ at1.their,-,upper -andfdowen ends respenrtively. influearingsffonmetlniny .crosstmembers .aida-nd 6ft-:respectively;l Eachftamper-fshankifiilrcarres `a guide shoet'; as shoWnbestfinFigs.. 5:-and 10.;

The several tamners, are gravity llmlasedi.-in; a doWnvvardi` direction .andiareeaehrasedi to. their uppermost positionszshowntinf. ia 5 bylaldiere Cooperating cam.4 The l saidA tartiner-eet cams :each comprise-a; cam armf9-ihaving;

head# eieulnalledzonvts freetendxfer engagement with @Generating-f @am shoef 6a; Theses-Several Thecam.: arms: 6.911I mayfbef secured toi-the. @are snai? t y7H infV axrxvffsuitalole .z mannen: but; as shown, Each roller;r Cam headr:l T0 'underlies thaxshee 6:81a. of different tampeleendfthe camtarms;Bertare-.equallvtcireum ferentiall-yT-spacedlabouttheg-axis :etica-m shaftwli The' direction t or; rotationA of: the: camrsnaftxand cam-sf. is acounterclockwisel with respect :tofy Figc 5,

preeedineseamtwithfthe order--ofzadvaneementfzor .progression-freine one endoffthefshaitztcvtard the otherf end z thereof-l' The.: cama sha-iti. 'M f5 is` centimiously*drivenfroma--motorfltthrotienidrvine Connections,- cornnris' l a bLelti Dulles: le, oni-the motorJ shafna; belt.. l5;` running;- ove et meter pulley 11%,; and;V alspeedtneductienanullev fitter-nene stillen 1.81, an. 0j the" 031m Shaft N".

which-is:mountedifastloatheiproiectedgendiononei is` Aezliasrbeenheteteferemadetanparenttmeinem shoe of each tamper is adapted to vertically reciprocate into and out of the orbitof a different one of the several cam rollers 10, and would, therefore, be subject to continuous reciprocation together with its respective tamper were it not for some device for locking the unit in an upper position where its cam shoe is out of the orbit of the cam roller. For the purpose of thus locking the several tampers independently in their upper inoperative positions, I provide locking device 8| foreach tamper. Each locking device 8| 'comprises a pawl-acting latch finger 82 and a cooperating stop element 83; the latter serving as a ratchet tooth. The ratchet tooth-acting stop elements 83 are each in the nature of a split collar clamped around the intermediate portion of a different tamper shank 84. The several latch ngers 82 are each pivotally mounted at its lower end on a rock shaft 84. The rock shaft 84 is journalled adjacent its opposite ends in framesupported bearings 85 (see Fig. 2). The latch ngers 82 are yieldingly connected to the rock shaft 84 for movements therewith by connections comprising short arms 86 fast on the rock shaft 84, threaded bolts 81 carried by and extending from the latch fingers 82 and working through the arms 88, and opposed compression springs 88 and 89. The opposed compression springs 88 and 89 aremaintained under desired pressure by nuts on the outer ends of bolts 81. Movements of the several latch fingers 82 from their operative positions shown by full lines in Fig. to their inoperative positions shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5 and back to their operative positions are accomplished by manual rocking of shaft 84 through the medium of a handle-equipped lever 90, see Fig. 8. The manual operating lever 90 is mounted fast on the rock shaft 84, and said rock shaft 84 and its several latch ngers 82 are spring biased toward operative positions by acoil tension spring 9| anchoredat one end to the intermediate portion of lever 90 and at its other end to the frame I; the latter point of connection of spring 9| being best shown at 92 in Fig. 2. Movements of the several latch fingers 82 in directions of their inoperative positions are limited by a transverse stop bar 93 suitably supported from the frame Contrary statements above notwithstanding, the ends of the tamper shoes 68 project just slightly into the orbits 4of their respective cam rollers 10 when the tampers are resting on the latch fingers 82. With the arrangement described, the spring 9| tends to move the free ends of latch fingers 82 against their respective tamper Shanks 64 so that they drop under their respective cooperating stop elements 83 on their first upward movements upon release of handle-equipped lever 90 and lock their respective tampers against downward movement responsive to gravity. With the arrangement described, it will further be seen that the tampers, due to the projection of the shoes 68 into the orbits of rotation of respective cooperating cam rollers 10, will be lifted slightly olf of their respective cooperating latch fingers82 under each'rotation of a cooperating cam roller V10. This slight reciprocation of each tamper for each rotation of its respective cam when the latch elements 82 are in operative positions is important in that it results in releasing the latch elements one at a time and momentarily responsive to yielding action of their respective springs 89 whenever the control lever 90 is manually retraced to its latch unlocking position. Similarly, when the manual controllever 90 is released, the

'spring 9|- places the several latches 8| under pressure to move toward locked positions one by one as their respective cooperating stop elements 83 move upwardly past the free ends of fingers 82, and under which action thesprings 88 yield to permit such upward passage of stop elements 83 past the upper ends of their cooperating fingers 82.

By reference particularly to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the shoe 68 of each of the several tampers works slidably over a guide rod 94 secured in frame members 6B and 81 and extending in parallel spaced relation to the tamper shanks 64.

The driving connections not yet completely described include three identical trip clutches indicated by A, B, and C respectively mounted on transverse shafts 95, 96, and 91 respectively. The shafts 95, 9B, and 91 are journaled in framemounted bearings best shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

The trip clutches A, B, and C are of a wellknown Aconventional variety each comprising an internally corrugated drum 98 mounted loosely on its respective shaft 95, 96, or 91, a cooperating ange 99 fast on its respective shaft, and a pair of T-shaped levers 00 that are intermediately pivoted to the ange 99 at |0I. One arm of each of the T-shaped levers |0| carries a drive roller |02 that is adapted to engage the corrugated inner surface of the drum 98 to establish driving engagement between the flange 99 and drum 98. The T-shaped levers |00 are connected by a pivcted link |03 and the outwardly projected arms |04 of levers |00 serve as trip lingers. By reference particularly to Fig. 1l, it will be seen that the levers |00 are spring biased in directions to move their respective rollers |02 into driving engagement with the interior of drum 98 by a spring |05. The arms |04 of levers |00 project outwardly between flange 99 and drum 98 as shown best in Fig. 4. The peripheries of the flanges 99 of the trip clutches A, B, and C are formed with diametrically opposed notches |06 for reception of cooperating trip rollers |01. These notches |08 are so orientated that they will be in line each with a different trip finger |04 when the T-shaped levers |00 are in their operative positions wherein their drive rollers |02 are in operative driving engagement with the inner periphery of drum 98. The trip fingers |04 are essentially moved to their inoperative positions shown in Fig. 11 when the trip rollers |01 drop into either of the opposed notches |06. The trip rollers |01 of trip clutches A, B, and C are journalled in the bifurcated end portions of trip arms |08, |09, and H0 respectively. These trip arms |08, |09, and I I0 are respectively mounted fast on frame-journalled rock shafts III,II2,andI|3.

The trip arm |08 of trip clutch A is manually controlled through a lever ||0 fast on shaft III, a rigid link or rod H5 extending from the free end of lever H4 to the intermediate portion of a handle-equipped operating lever |I6 located at the front end of the machine and which is pivotally connected at I|1 to the frame I. The trip linkage of trip clutch A, just described, is biased toward trip clutch release position by a coil tension spring ||8 anchored at one end to rod |I5 and its other end to the frame I.

The trip clutch B is manually operated through a linkage comprising a lever I I9 fast on shaft ||2, a rigid link or rod |20 pivotally connected to the free end portion of said lever and extending to and pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of a handle-equipped operating lever |2I. Thelever |2| is locatedv at the front of the ma- `chineand ispivoted atrts lower end to the frame I| at 122. 'Hieoperatinglinleagedf trip clutch B pis spring biased jto clutch "release `position rby a coil tension spring |23'anchoredfatz-one en'd to .lever 'ligand at its other-fendto lframe I.

Trip 'clutch' C is automatically operated responsive to rotation of shaft 96 'undercontrolof trip clutchBthrcugh `thefollowing-noted mechanism, to Wit: A diametrically opposed `'pair '-of -rollers |24 are journalledtoshaft gthrough 'the-medium of radially projecting arms-|25'ffast'onfsaid'shaft 8E. The se diametrically opposed-rollersr |24 each engage and impart'rocking movement'to-'ailever |25 androck shaft ||3I on which saidlever |28 issecured once for each 180-of"rotation-'ofeshaft '96. The lever |25 is spring biasedtoward ,a clutch release position by .a `coil tension spring |21"eX tending between said armand a "crossfmem'ber of the frame l.

With the clutches A, B,'and `C kandthe control mechanism therefor, 'the trip lclutches A'and B will each `operateits respective shaft 95 -or 96 180 each time acooperating control ",lever H6 or |2| is momentarily'actuated to release its cooperating trip roller ||l'|A from acooperatin'g'notch .106, and for each 180 ofrotation'o'f'shaft 96 trip clutch C will be rendered operative 'to ,drive its shaft 91 180.

,The pitman arms 28, for imparting reciprocating movements tothe troweler ortransf'er device .22, are drivenfrom .counterWeighted-cranks |28 on opposite ends of shaft95. ,The mold opening .andclosing pitmanarmlis operate'd'by a short crank |28 (seeFigs. 2 and), so thatthe mold .will -open `responsive .to one "180 of irotation lof shaft gand will close on thesucceeding"180"of .movement of shaft 96.

movement of shaft 91. Itvvilll'rere'benoted'that l the Weight of the vI 'beams i33-of the'elevator mechanism is partially counterbalancedby'means .of a counterbalancing spring |-3 thatis anchored at one end to the frame'and at vv-its-other end to the arm |32 fast on shaft 00,

The pair ofbevel gears'58 for-driving'the hori- `zontal conveyor rollers `l`52 rare -mounted "one lfast on one of the rollers `-52 `and theotherfast on a transverse drive `shaft |33 V'that is `mounted :in 5 4bearings |34 -on the-frame '|33 is continuously "driven rfrom theI continuously operating vcam shaft 1| throughdriving connections comprising a 'double V groove=pulley |35 on one end of the cam shaft''||, Vapairfo'flv"belts `sprocket |43 fast on said-shaftL|38 anda chain I 44 running over said sprocket :|143 "and/:running over a similar sprocket |45 zthatisifast'onthe 'hubl of said loosely=mounted/orfvoatingftrip `clutch velement L98 rdf :clutch JA. j'The 4#loosely 'mounted `or `iioatingztlrum elemetilzi of rclutch Short drive shaft ...10 Bis similarly continuously driven from shaft |38 'through "driving fconnections vcomprising .sa l'sprocket |116 'frast .onfsh-at |238 andra chain m1 Erunning over vsaid sprocket 4:46 .and ra fsimilar sprocket |48 fast on the hublao'f element 198 of .elu'tch'B. -1.'Ihe'loosely mounted or fioatingdrum element 98` of-'trip clutch C "is continuously .dri-ven incomm'on` with the element 98 of rtripf clutch.. B -fthroughdrifving connections comprisinga sprocket 10 Msi-alsofffastlonthe hubof element 98 of :clutch Band-af chain F50 runningA over said sprocket |249 land a similar sprocket |15 `onthe hubv of element fi'o'f Strip 'clutchaC.

' 'Ioinitiatethe `operation or aiseries of operations, 'the `velectric motor T3 .Will -loe started, Wherebyiall of .thebefore-mentioned `continuously operating elements will be operative. `Vlitlu'the lelevatorlbeams' 3,34 retracted .to' theirllower. positions fshovvn-bydottedflines in iliig. v6, a,pallet"32 '.Will be 4.placed `.upon .the now continuously operating ',rollersZ'throughtheffront ofithe machine. This palletl32 .willinow be ,conveyed from leftto` right withrespectLto'LFig. V7, .orllaterally'of the machine, `towardsthefstop device ,59. ,As the vpallet ',432 Ais y.thus .conveyed by rollers'.52.jirom` left toward y the .rightWith-respect to Fig. 7; itvvill engagelthe head ..62 rof yielding. stop device T59 and .Will move 'the .'same .from its ,intermediate ifullQline position 'of Eig# A,to its 4Aright-hand dotted linegposition vof Vv"7,..at A.Whifsh .point the .weightedarm 63 of Ayielding ,stopdevice 59 `.vvill set .up...suii'cient re- ,sistance-` to stoplthe pallet-32 in. spite of continued ,rot-ationflof ythe.convey,or,rollers52. y,The pallet .-82 rWill now .be ',properly .positioned @below )the fcavityaofmoldz. The next operation is topelevate the pallet .32 toits operative position runder. the ,lmoldfcavityarand this .is accomplished. asfollovvs l11hecoperator will-momentarily,pullflever-l 2 .and :then release ythe ,.same, thereby ,disengaging trip roller 1 |07 of clutch uB from a cooperating .notch ,ft-06. .'Ihisareleasing.ofrolleril of clutch B from fits. cooperating notch|.06 .will resulty in .a .one-.half -.turnf.or 1-80=:of.rotation of.shaft.l6, which will '1c-anse, :.pitman I 5 tommove vfrom oneeXtreme `.po-

,fsitionntothe; otherzand ,close .the moldZ. .fAnother result of the above-mentionedoneehalf turnof .lshaftftisas `:follows l A roller |214 t carriedA by .shaf t @|16,@vvill:engagefandirockk arm |20. and rock fshaft iglrlwhich vvilly cause tripping. of clutch C. .When i-c'lutch :C lvtripped, shaft .-91 will vpartake. of .180 roi: rotary fmovement, thereby moving the g pitman :5l :from one-.extreme position toitsoppositev exo treme position and.- causing the `.elevator mechamism to liftithgefbeam's .-33 thereof and-the pallet 32 .to @their :upper positions `:wherein v.the pallet rcontacts 1 the-bottompf` thetmoldlZ--and closes the .'bottom Eloi 'the molcl cavity. At this point, it xshouldxbe understood that thetrovveler or transfer device x22 will 2 be positionedtbelow :the l open end tof ,the :delivery conduit 25 and will :have 'been :lledawithaa Worlrgbatchqof concreter-y; thesbottom 65 :..aofftroweleriZ'Z vbeing now; closed `by fplate-l orshelf 120. ".The :operator Twill :now momentarily retract :lever :H6 ,against y:the action `of fspring lil-8 -to tthereby ,trip clutch A, whichwillfresultfinfa 180 vi'rotation fof rshaft r95 and moving of pitman `28 tiffromuione extremenposition @to 4'the other. `This movementaof pit-man, 28-vvill lcausetlne.trans-.Eer

.-deviceziorgtroweler 2 2pto begmovediromgitsreceivzingrqiosition. yunder ,thegfispout orconduitaZ to w, its delivery eposition, :above 2@the :mold .'(see .e g. 55) r .fiWhenizthe :transfer s device i or :troweler 212: is ythus imovedffromzits freceiving `to .zits delivery gposition,

Fai)

the bottom of the spout or conduit 25 will be automatically closed oi by the valving plate 21 and part of the work batch y will drop into the cavity of mold 2 and onto the pallet 32.

We are now ready for the tamping operation, which is initiated by manually pulling lever 90 against the action of tension spring 9| and suciently to compress the several compression springs 88 of the several locking devices 8|. Since the bolts 81 work looselythrough the short arms 86 of their respective locking devices, `the said compression of the springs 88 will tend to pull said bolts and the latch fingers 82 outwardly to their inoperative positions shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5. Under this yielding outward tension, the several latch fingers 82 will be released from their respective cooperating stop elements 83 and permitted to so move to their inoperative positions one by one as their respective cooperating cam rollers 'ID engage and slightly lift their respective cooperating tamper shoes 68. After the cam shaftl 'H has made one complete revolution, all of the tampers will be in operation,

vertically reciprocating from their upper positions shown in Fig. 5 to their lower dotted line positions shown in Fig. 5. It will be understood that the operator will hold the tamper control lever 90 in its outer tamperoperative position for the duration of the tamping operation, upon completion of which he will release the lever 99 and permit the several locking devices 8| Vto return to their tamper latching or locking positions under the yielding action of spring 9I. When the lever 99 is thus released, the latch fingers 82 will automatically come into operative locking engagement with their respective stop elements 83 one at a time as their respective tampers are raised to their uppermost positions. As the tamper feet 65 come into intermittent engagement with the upper portion of the work batch y of concrete or other cementiticus material within the troweler or transfer device 22, the said Work batch, including that portion `thereof Within the mold cavity, will be compacted to a maximumv density. Usually the duration of the tamping period need be but a few seconds, but willvary somewhat with the type and consistency of the material employed.

With the tamping operation thus completed and the tampers all returned to their upper inoperative full line positions of Fig. 5, the next step in the operation will be to trowel off the Work batch even with the top of the mold cavity, and this is accomplished by returning the troweler or transfer device 22 from its delivery position of Fig. 5 to its receiving position of Fig. 6. As previously indicated, this last noted operation is accomplished mechanically under manual control as follows, to Wit: The operator will momentarily retract lever Iiv against the actionv of spring I I8, thereby operating link I I5, crank arm IM, trip lever IDB, and trip roller |01 of trip clutch A, which will trip clutch A and permit it to .drive the shaft 95 180 to operate the pitman arms 28 and return the troweler or transfer device 22 from its delivery position of Fig. 5 back to its receiving position of Fig. 6. The transfer device or troweler 22 will now be relled, by gravity action, with cementitious material from the source through delivery conduit or chute 25.

Now we come to the final tamping or surface finishing operation, which is accomplished as follows: With the parts positioned as shown by full lines in Fig. 5, the tamping or finishing plate 29, which all during the preceding operations has been in its vertical inoperative position in Fig. 5, will now be moved pivotally from its said vertical inoperative position of Fig. 5 to its horizontal operative position of Fig. 6, after which the tampers will again be operated for a short period of time in the manner and by mechanism previously described. During this secondary tamping or finishing operation, the bottom surface of the tamping or finishing plate 29, which in the present instance is shown as being corrugated, will contact the upper surface of the material y in the mold cavity and will be vibrated thereon by intermittent engagement with its upper surface of the shoes of the several tampers. This secondary tamping or finishing operation lasts usually but a few seconds, and upon completion thereof we have a finished block or stave in the mold cavity, and the plate 29 may now be moved back to its vertical inoperative position.

The next operation is to open the mold 2 to release the finished stave or block, remove the said finished block or stave from the mold cavity, and convey the same to a suitable delivery point. This is the nal operation and is accomplished as follows: To initiate this composite operation or series of related operations, the operator momentarily retracts operating lever I2I to thereby trip clutch B to drive shaft 96 180o of rotary movement and open themold through action of pitman arm I5 in the manner heretofore described. Now, as previously explained, this moldopening movement of shaft 9B under control of trip clutch B automatically trips elevator control mechanism clutch C through connections comprising an arm |25, a roller IM, rock arm IZB, rock -shaft II3, and the trip arm H0 and trip roller IIl'I' of clutch C. As a result of this automatic tripping of clutch C, the shaft 9i' is given 180 of rotation, which will lower the elevator beams 33, the pallet 32, and the finished block or stave supported thereon to their lower positions shown by dotted lines in Figs. 6 and 7. During the lowering movement of the elevator beams 33 and pallet, the pallet contacts the head 6?. of the yieldingly biased stop arm 60 and moves the same from its intermediate full line position of Fig. 7 to its left-hand position of Fig. 7, where it is rendered inoperative and will permit free lateral movement of the pallet under the action of the continuously driven conveyor rollers 52. Under frictional driving engagement of these conveyor rollers 52 with the bottom of the pallet, the pallet will move to the right in respect to Fig. 'l and will be delivered to a suitable delivery point or conveyor mechanism. The pallet, complete With its molded product, will usually be stacked with others for drying and hardening. Of course, when the pallet has been conveyed past the head 62 of stop arm Sil, the said stop arm 69 will return under the yielding action of gravity to its intermediate full line operative position of Fig. 7. The machine Will now be ready for a succeeding block-molding operation of the kind described above.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine of the kind described, a mold having a molding cavity opening through its bottom, a pallet adapted to close the bottom of the mold cavity, a horizontal conveyor located below the plane of the bottom of the mold and having its intermediate portion directly beneath the mold, said horizontal conveyor comprising laterally spaced conveyor rollers and extending from a receiving point laterally offset from the mold in one direction to a delivery point laterally offset from the mold in another direction, an elevator platform element located below the mold and mounted for approximately vertical movements between adjacent cooperating rollers of the horizontal conveyor, whereby to raise a pallet off of the intermediate portion of the conveyor into operative engagement with the bottom of the mold and return the same to the intermediate portion of the conveyor for continued conveyance by the latter, said horizontal conveyor rollers being continuously driven in like directions, a stop arm pivotally mounted below the plane of the upper surfaces of the conveyor rollers on an axis substantially parallel to the axes of the rollers and having a free head end swingable into and out of the path of travel of a pallet moving on the horizontal conveyor rollers, and means yieldingly biasing said stop arm to an intermediate position wherein it is inclined in a direction op` posing the direction of horizontal feed and wherein its head is in the path of travel of a pallet on the horizontal conveyor, the yielding biasing force on the stop arm being suicient to stop a pallet after a pre-determined movement of the stop arm in the direction of horizontal feed, whereby the stop arm will be returned to its said inclined intermediate position upon elevation of the pallet and will be deflected to an inoperative position below the pallet upon lowering of the pallet to the conveyor rollers, thereby permitting continued unidirectional horizontal feeding movements of the pallet upon return to the horizontal conveyor rollers.

2. 1n a machine of the kind described, a mold having a molding cavity opening through its bottom, a pallet adapted to close the bottom of the mold cavity, a horizontal conveyor located below the plane of the bottom of the mold and having its intermediate portion directly beneath the mold, said horizontal conveyor comprising laterally spaced conveyor rollers and extending from a receiving point laterally offset from the mold in one direction. to a delivery point laterally offset from the mold in another direction, an elevator platform element located below the mold and mounted for approximately vertical movements between adjacent cooperating 'rollers of the horizontal conveyor, whereby to raise a pallet olf of the intermediate portion of the conveyor into operative engagement with the bottom of the mold and return the same to the intermediate portion of the conveyor for continued conveyance by the latter, said horizontal conveyor rollers being Acontinuously driven in like directions, a stop arm pivotally mounted below the plane of the upper surfaces of the conveyor rollers on an axis substantially parallel to the axes of the rollers and having a free head end swingable into and out of the path of travel of a pallet moving on the horizontal conveyor rollers, and means yieldingly biasing said stop arm to an intermediate lposition wherein it is inclined in a direction opposing the direction of horizontal feed and wherein its head is in the path of travel of a pallet on the horizontal conveyor, the yielding biasing force on the stop arm being suicient to stop a pallet after a pre-determined movement of the stop arm in the direction of horizontal feed, whereby the stop arm will be returned to its said inclined intermediate position upon elevation of the pallet and will be deected to an inoperative position below the pallet upon lowering of the pallet to the conveyor rollers, thereby permitting continued unidirectional `horizontal feeding movements of the pallet upon return to the horizontal conveyor rollers, said yielding biasing means for the pivoted stop arm comprising a weighted pendulum-acting arm rigid with the pivoted stop arm and depending substantially vertically from the axis of the stop arm when the stop arm is in its aforesaid inclined intermediate position.

3. In a machine of the kind described, a mold having a molding cavity opening through its bottom, a pallet adapted to close the bottom of the mold cavity, a horizontal conveyor located below the plane of the bottom of the mold and having its intermediate portion directly beneath the mold, said horizontal conveyor comprising laterally spaced conveyor rollers and extending from a receiving pointk laterally offset from the mold in one direction to a delivery point laterally oiset from the mold in another direction, an elevator platform located below the mold, elevator mechanism supporting said platform and adapted to move the same vertically from inoperative position below the plane of the upper surfaces of the conveyor rollers upwardly between adjacent conveyor rollers and into operative position wherein it will support a pallet against the bottom of the mold, said horizontal conveyor rollers being continuously driven in like directions, a stop arm pivotally mounted below the plane of the upper surfaces of the conveyor rollers on an axis substantially parallel to the axes of the rollers and having a free head end swingable into and out of the path of travel of a pallet moving on the horizontal Vconveyor rollers, and means yieldingly biasing said stop arm to an intermediate position wherein it is inclined in a direction opposing the direction of horizontal feed and wherein its head is in the path of travel of a pallet on the horizontal conveyor, the yielding biasing force on the stop arm being sufficient to stop a pallet after a predetermined movement of the stop arm in the direction of horizontal feed, whereby the stop arm will be returned to its said inclined intermediate position upon elevation of the pallet and will be deected to an inoperative position below the pallet upon lowering of the pallet to the conveyor rollers, thereby permitting continued unidirectional' horizontal feeding movements of the pallet upon return to the horizontal conveyor rollers.

NEWELL B. HANSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the die of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date '704,754 Mohs July 15, 1902 857,364 Rosback June 18, 1907 930,053 Diefendorf Aug. 3, 1909 1,716,349 Wallace June 4, 1929 1,718,338 Dunn June 25, 1929 1,742,845 Brainerd Jan. 7, 1930 1,767,197 Babbitt June 24, 1930 1,868,072 Parker July 19, 1932 2,270,829 Wellnitz Jan. 20, 1942 2,427,044 Burns Sept, 9, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 340,439 Great Britain Jan. 1, 1931 

